Mounting apparatus for fans

ABSTRACT

A mounting apparatus for a fan defining an engaging hole includes an enclosure, a mounting bracket mounted to the enclosure, and a latch mounted to the enclosure. The mounting bracket defines a through hole, and includes a locking tab. The fan is accommodated in the mounting bracket, with the engaging hole of the fan aligned with the through hole. The locking extends through the through hole to engage in the engaging hole, thereby mounting the fan to the mounting bracket.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The disclosure relates to mounting apparatuses, and particularly to a mounting apparatus configured for readily mounting fans.

2. Description of Related Art

In a typical computer system, a plurality of fans are secured by screws or the like to an enclosure of the computer system and are used for producing a flow of cooling air over certain electronic components within the enclosure, for dissipating heat generated by the electronic components. However, when the fans are to be secured to or removed from the enclosure, locking or unlocking screws one by one is inconvenient, tedious, and time-consuming.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, all the views are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of a mounting apparatus for fans, the mounting apparatus including two latches.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of one of the latches of FIG. 1, but viewed from another perspective.

FIG. 3 is an assembled, isometric view of the mounting apparatus of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of examples and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

Referring to FIG. 1, a mounting apparatus for a fan module 10 includes an enclosure 20 of an electronic device, a mounting bracket 30 latched to a bottom of the enclosure 20, two latches 40 configured to mount the fan module 10 to the mounting bracket 30, and a plurality of fasteners 50 to mount the latches 40 to the enclosure 20. In this embodiment, the fasteners 50 are bolts.

Two posts 22 located in a line protrude from the bottom of the enclosure 20, adjacent to the mounting bracket 30. Each post 22 defines a screw hole 220.

The fan module 10 includes a plurality of fans 12. Each fan 12 includes opposite sidewalls 14. Two protrusions 15 extend from an upper portion of each sidewall 14. A lower portion of each sidewall 14 defines two engaging holes 16. In this embodiment, a plurality of screws (not labeled) are screwed in the upper corners of the fans 12, and the protrusions 15 are head portions of the screws protruding out from the corresponding sidewall 14.

The mounting bracket 30 includes a rectangular bottom plate (not labeled) fixed to the bottom of the enclosure 20, two opposite sidewalls 31 extending up from opposite sides of the bottom plate, and two opposite end walls 32 extending up from opposite ends of the bottom plate. The end walls 32 are perpendicularly connected between corresponding ends of the sidewalls 31. Each sidewall 31 equidistantly spaced defines a plurality of substantially round-shaped vents 311. In this embodiment, a cross-shaped frame (not labeled) is formed in each vent 311. An upper portion of each sidewall 31 defines two cutouts 313, at opposite sides of each vent 311. A lower portion of each sidewall 31 defines two through holes 315, between every two adjacent vents 311. A mounting tab 321 substantially perpendicularly extends outward from a bottom of each end wall 32 of the mounting bracket 30, through which a screw extends to mount the mounting bracket 30 to the enclosure 20.

Referring to FIG. 2, each latch 40 includes a main body 42, and a resisting board 44 substantially perpendicularly extending up from a side of the main body 42. A substantially bridge-shaped elastic tab 422 extends up from the main body 42, with a through hole 424 defined in the elastic tab 422. Two locking tabs 442 substantially perpendicularly extend from opposite ends of the resisting board 44, away from the elastic tab 422. In other embodiments, the elastic tab 422 can be omitted, and the through hole 424 is defined in the main body 42 directly.

Referring to FIG. 3, in assembly, the mounting bracket 30 is mounted to the enclosure 20 by screws extending through the mounting tabs 321 to engage with the bottom of the enclosure 20, with the posts 22 facing one of the sidewalls 31. The fan module 10 is accommodated in the mounting bracket 30, with the protrusions 15 of each fan 12 engaged in the corresponding cutouts 313 of the mounting bracket 30. In this time, the engaging holes 16 of each fan 12 are in alignment with the corresponding through holes 315. Each latch 40 is attached to the bottom of the enclosure 20, with the elastic tab 422 supported on the corresponding post 22 and the through hole 424 of the latch 40 aligns with the screw hole 220 of the post 22. The fasteners 50 are extended through the through holes 424 and engaged in the screw holes 220. Therefore, the latches 40 are mounted to the enclosure 20, with the resisting board 44 of each latch 40 resisting against the sidewall 31 facing the posts 22. In this state, the locking tabs 442 are extended through the through holes 315 of the mounting bracket 30, to engage in the engaging holes 16 of the fans 12. Therefore, the fans 12 are mounted to the mounting bracket 30 by the corresponding latches 40.

In removal of one of the fans 12, the fastener 50 mounted the corresponding latch 40 is released. Thereafter, the corresponding latch 40 is detached from the mounting bracket 30, with the locking tabs 442 disengaging from the engaging hole 16 of one of the fans 12, and then, the fan 12 can be readily detached from the mounting bracket 30.

It is believed that the present embodiments and theirs advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and they will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the description or sacrificing all of their material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being exemplary embodiment. 

1. A mounting apparatus for a fan defining an engaging hole, the mounting apparatus comprising: an enclosure; a mounting bracket mounted to the enclosure, and defining a through hole; and a latch mounted to the enclosure, comprising a locking tab extending from the latch; wherein the fan is accommodated in the mounting bracket, with the engaging hole of the fan aligned with the through hole, the locking tab is extended through the through hole, to engage in the engaging hole, thereby mounting the fan to the mounting bracket.
 2. The mounting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the latch further comprises a resisting board resisting against the mounting bracket, the locking tab extends from the resisting board.
 3. The mounting apparatus of claim 2, wherein the latch further comprises a main body defining a through hole, the resisting board extends up from a side of the main body, a post extends up from the enclosure adjacent to the mounting bracket, the latch is mounted on the post by a fastener extending through the through hole of the main body to engage with the post.
 4. The mounting apparatus of claim 3, wherein the post defines a screw hole, the fasteners is engaged in the screw hole.
 5. The mounting apparatus of claim 3, wherein a substantially bridge-shaped elastic tab extends up from the main body, the through hole is defined in the elastic tab, the post defines a screw hole, a fastener is extended through the through hole, and engaged in the screw hole to mount the latch to the enclosure.
 6. The mounting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting bracket comprises two opposite sidewalls, an upper portion of each sidewall defines two cutouts to receive protrusions extending from an upper portion of the fan.
 7. The mounting apparatus of claim 6, wherein each sidewall defines a vent, the cutouts are located at opposite sides of the vent.
 8. The mounting apparatus of claim 6, wherein the mounting bracket further comprises two opposite end walls perpendicularly connected between corresponding ends of the sidewalls, a mounting tab extends out from a bottom of each end wall, to mount the mounting bracket to the enclosure by a screw extending through the mounting tab to engage with the enclosure.
 9. The mounting apparatus of claim 6, wherein the through hole of the mounting bracket is defined in a lower portion of the sidewall facing the latch, the latch comprises a resisting board resisting against the sidewall facing the latch, the locking tab extends from the resisting board.
 10. The mounting apparatus of claim 9, wherein the latch further comprises a main body defining a through hole, the resisting board extends from a side of the main body, a post extends up from the enclosure and defines a screw hole, the latch is supported on the post and mounted to the post by a fastener extending through the through hole of the main body to engage in the screw hole of the post.
 11. An assembly comprising: an enclosure; a mounting bracket mounted to the enclosure, and defining a through hole; a fan accommodated in the mounting bracket, and defining an engaging hole aligning with the through hole of the mounting bracket; and a latch mounted to the enclosure, and comprising a locking tab extending from the latch, wherein the locking tab extends through the through hole of the mounting bracket to engage in the engaging hole of the fan.
 12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein a post extends up from the enclosure, the latch comprises a main body mounted to the post and a resisting board extending from the main body, wherein the locking tab extends from the resisting board.
 13. The assembly of claim 11, wherein two protrusions protrude from an upper portion of each of opposite walls of the fan, the mounting bracket comprises two opposite sidewalls, each sidewall defines two cutouts to receive the corresponding protrusions of the fan.
 14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the engaging hole is below the protrusions of the fan, the through hole of the mounting bracket is defined in a lower portion of one of the sidewalls of the mounting bracket facing the latch.
 15. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the sidewall of the mounting bracket facing the latch defines a vent aligning with the fan, the cutouts are located at opposite sides of the vent. 